The Reality of God

A SHORT TREATISE ON THE REALITY OF GOD
God is the ultimate reality. He has spun the universes into existence
and has created all other beings. As humans, we too had our beginning
from God. Like Plato and Socrates, I believe that we pre-existed in a
spiritual realm prior to being born into this world. Unfortunately
the
church fathers, with the exceptions of Origen and Augustine, rejected
this view as an overreaction to the heresies of gnosticism and
neoplatonism that threatened to subvert the Gospel. How do I know of
this pre-existence? I have very faint memories of a spiritual
existence
before being born into this world. My children spoke of this of this
existence when they were small. I have heard of other 2-4 year old
children being able to talk of their own pre-existence in the
spiritual
realm prior to their earthly birth, when carefully questioned about
it.
One couple I know of had three boys who each spoke of having been
with
God and the angels prior to birth without any prompting from their
parents when they were small. Evidently as people age and develop,
these memories are overlaid with countless earthly memories and are
largely forgotten.
One may ask why are we here and forced to leave that spiritual
realm.
I believe that the answer lies in the fall of Lucifer from Heaven
along
with a third of the angels. It is my own belief that human spirits
were
originally intended to be part of Lucifer's cadre in the spiritual
realm. Once Lucifer fell, there was no further need for our existence
in the spiritual realm, since we had been created to serve Lucifer in
carrying out his heavenly responsibilities. Lucifer's disobedience
led
to our own eventual banishment from Heaven, even though we were not
involved in his revolt against God. God in His infinite mercy has
brought us to this world to perfect our redemption. He is bound by
His
own spiritual laws in the eternal realm, but at the temporal level,
He
can rewrite our destiny through His plan for our redemption. Had not
Adam and Eve disobeyed God, this plan would have been much simpler
and
salvation would have been universal for all mankind. When that couple
listened to Lucifer rather than obey God, suddenly salvation became
much more difficult. Man had chosen sides and was no longer just an
innocent bystander thus bringing condemnation on all mankind who was
to
be born on earth from that time forward.
Man himself had sinned against God and lost his opportunity for an
easier salvation. To put it in the vernacular, man really blew it.
Now
man's disobedience had to dealt with in a manner satisfying God,
fulfilling the new parameters now required for our salvation and
permit
our return to the spiritual realm (Heaven) after leaving this earthly
sojourn. Christ, the second person of the Godhead, came to earth in
the
form of a man to die a sacrificial death for our redemption so that
by
believing in Him and on His death, we can be redeemed and made new
spiritual beings fit for His kingdom. Through Christ, the Holy Spirit
creates us anew and we are reshaped into His image, no longer
designed
to follow after Lucifer and his entourage.
Praise be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for their gift of
salvation through the Son's loving sacrifice of Himself on the cross,
the Father's willingness to send Him and the Spirit's perseverance in
causing us to believe.
Some have a difficult time grasping the concept of the Trinity. The
Trinity is the three distinct, separate, yet simultaneously occurring
dynamic states in which God exists and through which He expresses
Himself. It may be easier to understand the Trinity by the functions
they perform. The Father is the Creator of His creation. The Son
controls the interface relationship between the Creator and His
creation. The Holy Spirit permeates the creation carrying out the
will
of the Father and the Son.
Others may ask how does God create worlds and universes, i.e. this
temporal existence. I believe the new physics gives us an insight
into
God's methods. The big bang which began our universe was caused by a
large quantum fluctuation. These fluctuations are believed by some
cosmologists to be power spikes in a tremendous quantum field of
incredible intensity. Since there are undoubtedly many of these power
spikes, and at the top of each powerful enough spike is a created
universe, there are probably many overlapping sister universes to our
universe in existence at this very moment. They are separated from
each
other only by the different quantum time value that each universe
possesses. Thus we can not see or sense them nor can they see or
sense
us. You may ask how does God fit into the overall scheme of these
things. I truly believe that the energy that creates and drives this
quantum field issues forth from the mind of God even as He speaks the
Word. The beauty of God and His methods is that while we may seem far
removed from where God is, He is only a prayer away. He loves us and
cares for us, who believe on His dear Son, and longs that all mankind
will come to a saving faith in His beloved Son; but God wants our
love
freely given and not given through coercion. He gives us His Holy
Spirit to guide us and lead us into paths of righteousness for His
namesake. All that is required of us is simple faith in our living
Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ.
I look forward to the day that I return to the spiritual realm from
which we have come and can worship, adore, praise and glorify Him
forever. Our Lord made a way back where there was no way, so that we
may dwell with Him and enjoy Him forever. Praise be to God that He
has
not left us nor forsaken us, but through His death established His
plan
for our salvation when we come to believe on His shed blood.
Hallelujah, God is truly great and greatly to be worshiped in spirit
and truth.
In awe of the Living God
Richard E. Franing